Cox’s Bazar is set to see a nail-biting contest in three out of four constituencies in the 7 January parliamentary elections with strong contenders vying for power in these seats.

Ruling Awami League has extended support to Bangladesh Kalyan Party Chairman Major General (retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim in one of the seats while three incumbent MPs are there in the race in the remaining ones.

AL candidate Salauddin Ahmed CIP lost the Cox’s Bazar-1 (Chakaria-Pekua) constituency to BNP leader Salauddin Ahmed’s wife Hasina Ahmed in 2008.

AL spared the seat for its ally Jatiya Party in 2014 when its candidate Moulana Mohammad Ilias secured win unopposed. In 2018, AL picked incumbent lawmaker Jafar Alam who emerged victorious.

This time, the ruling party chose Salahuddin Ahmed CIP. However, he got his candidature cancelled on loan default charges.

Sitting MP Jafar Alam, who was expelled from the upazila AL president post for his controversial comments, is running as an independent candidate from there.

As AL supported Syed Muhammad Ibrahim in the constituency, most of its leaders and activists are working for him.

A tough battle is likely to take place between Jafar Alam and Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, voters said.

The other contestants are Hosne Ara of Jatiya Party, Abu Mohammad Bashirul Alam of Workers Party of Bangladesh, Muhammad Belal Uddin of Bangladesh Islami Front and independent runners Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqi Tuhin and Komor Uddin.

In Cox’s Bazar-2 (Moheshkhali-Kutubdia), Ashek Ullah Rafiq, who won the last two elections in 2014 and 2018, is fighting with ‘Boat’ symbol this time too.

But, Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM) candidate Md Sharif Badsha appeared as his main opponent. Badsha has recently joined BNM after resigning from Upazila Parishad chairman post and AL to contest the general election.

The main fight in the seat will be between Ashek and Badsha. As the seat consists of the offshore island of Kutubdia, both candidates are trying to woo voters as there is no local contestant.

The other candidates in the seat are Mahbubul Alam of National People’s Party, Mohammad Khairul Amin of Bangladesh Supreme Party, Md Ziaur Rahman of Islamic Front of Bangladesh and Md Yunus of Islami Okya Jote.

Talking to the Daily Sun, Sharif Badsha said,

“I’m getting a good response during electioneering and hopeful about win if the election is held in a free and fair manner.”

Incumbent MP Shaimum Sarwar Komol is contesting the election from Cox’s Bazar-3 (Sadar-Ramu-Eidgaon) constituency as the AL candidate.

He was cruising through an easy victory until senior Supreme Court lawyer and Bangabandhu Awami Ainjibi Samity Central Convening Committee member Barrister Mizan Sayeed got his candidacy back after a legal battle.

According to voters, experienced politician Komol remains ahead of Mizan, who is also carrying out a vigorous campaign to woo voters, in the contest.

Mizan claimed that people of the constituency want a change.

Sharing his thoughts for development of the tourist heartland -- Cox’s Bazar -- as a model tourist spot in South Asia, he said there is huge scope of working to this end.

Other hopefuls in the seat are Mohammad Ibrahim of Bangladesh Nationalist Front, Abdul Awal Mamun of Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Shamim Ahsan of Bangladesh National Awami Party and Mohammad Tarek of Jatiya Party.

In Cox’s Bazar-4 (Ukhia-Teknaf), AL nominated incumbent MP and Abdur Rahman Bodi’s wife Shahin Akter.

Teknaf upazila AL President Md Nurul Bashar is contesting the polls as an independent candidate and he also has a stronghold in the area, sources said.

Basher, also former Teknaf upazila unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and former general secretary of upazila AL, is getting support of the leaders and activists of AL, Jubo League and BCL, they said.

Besides, Shahin Akter reportedly has no significant contribution to the constituency as his husband Bodi is controlling different businesses and performing activities on her behalf.

So, she will face a tough battle against Bashar this time, voters said.

Shahin said everybody knows what they did for this people of this seat.

On the other hand, Bashar said people want to get rid of the long-drawn crisis of drug abuse and business in the constituency.

He expressed the optimism about win, saying people will choose the right candidate in the election this time.

Other candidates in the seat include Mohammad Osman Gani Chowdhury of Islami Okya Jote, Nurul Amin Sikder Bhutto of Jatiya Party, Mujibul Hoque Mujib of Trinamool BNP, Farid Alam of National People’s Party and Md Ismail of Bangladesh Congress.